Michigan Governor Plays Fast and Loose with Democracy, Invokes Radical New Powers

[swag]

http://blogs.forbes.com/erikkain/2011/03/11/michigan-governor-plays-fast-and-loose-with-democracy-invokes-radical-new-powers/

Perhaps lost in the Wisconsin shuffle is the story of what exactly is happening in Michigan. Newly elected Republican governor, Rick Snyder, is set to pass one of the most sweeping, anti-democratic pieces of legislation in the country – and almost no one is talking about it.

Snyder’s law gives the state government the power not only to break up unions, but to dissolve entire local governments and place appointed “Emergency Managers” in their stead. But that’s not all – whole cities could be eliminated if Emergency Managers and the governor choose to do so. And Snyder can fire elected officials unilaterally, without any input from voters. It doesn’t get much more anti-Democratic than that.

Except it does. The governor simply has to declare a financial emergency to invoke these powers – or he can hire a private company to declare financial emergency and take over oversight of the city. That’s right, a private corporation can declare your city in a state of financial emergency and send in its Emergency Manager, fire your elected officials, and reap the benefits of the ensuing state contracts.

These Republican governors have risen to power in what will eventually be seen as one of the great political farces of our time. The Tea Party movement talks a good game about democracy and limited government, but in practice its elected leaders are crony-capitalists and union-busters. There is nothing limited about a state government that can erase entire cities or take control of school districts and local governments with the swipe of a pen. Manufactured crisis and a litany of politicians and power-brokers talking about how broke we are is all it takes to rob us of our democracy.

. . . more

[Duer 157099]

1. "...all enemies, foreign and domestic."

I think this qualifies.

[Enthusiast]

12. It does qualify.

Absolutely.

[Andy823]

2. Low turnout

Once again the low turnout in Michigan put republican in charge of the state!

Here is a link: http://www.michiganreview.com/youth-voter-turnout-declines-in-2010-midterm-elections-1.1773784

When people don't get out and vote, no matter what the reasons, they give the other party a win, and that's what happened in 2010. The right kept pushing their lies, using trolls to surf the internet pretending to be liberals and encouraging people to NOT VOTE to send a message to the president, and now we see just how stupid that idea really was, and still is!

I read posts here daily that are already trying to get people to NOT VOTE in 2012! The same crap that we saw here last year, and it makes me sick to think that anyone on the left can fall for this BS and let the republicans take over!

No matter what you are pissed about not voting and allowing republicans to take control of your local, state, or national offices, is simply INSANE! Just look at the state being targeted by new republican governors and new republicans majorities at state levels and then ask yourself if it is a smart thing to NOT VOTE and let republican take over!

[blue_onyx]

4. Yes

There were about 560,000 fewer votes cast for governor compared to 2006. It's not that everyone loved Snyder. Many voters just stayed home. The Democratic candidate wasn't great but he was so much better than Snyder.

[zalinda]

6. It is not the people on the Internet

trolling political boards (as much as you'd like to blame them). The people who aren't voting are the ones who aren't political in the first place. They only vote when a candidate excites them. I would bet you that most wouldn't even know if the candidate is repub or dem. As of late, repubs have been making sure that Republican is not on their brochures or even their website, or it is in such tiny text that you would need 20/20 vision to even notice it, and magnification it read it.

The dem candidates have been bland, no fire in the belly people, while the repubs put up people who seem to really want it. And then of course, you have the dem party who would rather back a candidate that won't rock the boat, then people who want to shake up the system, so the bland candidate gets the backing of the party.

People are angry, and unless you match their tone, they aren't going to hear you. Do dems not understand this? There is a reason why we write down history, so we can learn from it. Why do you think all those RW talking heads seem angry all the time, it's because people are angry and are listening to them. It's the same with the tea party, it's the anger. When people are angry, they seem to get more things done or at least that's the perception.

I met a very nice woman, having a tough time making ends meet (or at least for the life style she wanted). While having dinner she said how having John Boehner as speaker was going to be such a wonderful thing for poor people. He knew what it was like being poor because he came from a family of 12 siblings and he worked his way through college with many jobs. He didn't have it easy. And, look the cried, he is so sensitive to what is happening to people. She had Fox news on from the moment she got up, as background noise.

People are desperate to find a leader to get them out of their misery, but you have to get their attention. They have lots of problems just getting through life, right now. If someone doesn't grab them and make them think that he or she will lead them out of the abyss, that candidate doesn't have a chance. And right now, the dem candidates are BLAND, and seem like they couldn't lead a boy scout troop.

zalinda

[Enthusiast]

13. PLUS ONE nt

[socialist_n_TN]

14. YES! As I've stated many times,politics nowdays.....

takes PASSION to influence the electorate. The RW has the passion, but they don't have the truth. Imagine what a pol with passion AND the truth would accomplish.

[madfloridian]

3. Recommended so he can not fly under the radar.

He sounds dangerous.

[ljm2002]

5. The time for a general revolt...

...is nearing.

All we outside of Michigan can do is to publicize these anti-democratic laws and actions on the part of the governor. And it is no longer an issue of republican vs. democrat -- although it is indeed republican governors and pols doing the damage, we cannot cast it in that light and get the support of people who have voted republican (however ignorant we may think they were for doing so, they had their reasons, often driven by social issues that are imbued into them by years and years of effective propaganda, where they think they alone stand for "personal responsibility" etc).

We need to find common ground. One point to make is that nearly ALL of us opposed the bank bailouts that started under GW Bush. Our representatives and senators in DC reported ratios of something like 100 to 1 against the bailouts -- that's what their constituents were telling them. But they voted for them anyway. That tells us, ALL of us, that they aren't working for US. Time to put our differences aside and go after the real enemies, the rich and the filthy rich who are stealing our wealth and our democracy, while they take control of the entire world.

Later we must reinforce the common ground we have as workers, and ideally find common ground with others around the world. After all, the rich and the filthy rich not to mention their wholly-owned subsidiary governments around the world, work internationally. Time we "little people" did the same.

[cognoscere]

10. You've hit on the exact thing we need to push back against what is

happening in this country, if not the world. We need to realize that the enemies of common people are not specifically democrats, republicans, liberals, conservatives, or any other political label. What we do need to realize, and make others aware of, is that our common enemy always has been and always will be...assholes. The dictionary defines an asshole as a contemptible, mean, stupid person. I say it needs to include those who lie, cheat, steal, kill, and do anything else they feel necessary to get what THEY want. (yes, most, if not all, Republicans are assholes - it's a trait required to join the club) The state of the country/world is a direct consequence of putting or letting assholes be in charge. What's happening in Michigan and will happen in Wisconsin, is what happens when you let assholes control anything more important than the fry machine at McDonalds. George Carlin said there should be an open season on assholes. It looks like he might have been on to something.

[Pathwalker]

7. I wonder how long it will take him to go after Lansing & Virg Bernero.

After all, Lansing & their schools have fiscal problems, & Virg had the audacity to run against him. No doubt our right wing Supreme court will uphold this, too. Don't blame me or my family - we voted, and voted a straight Democratic ticket!

[Historic NY]

8. No taxation w/o representation.....sure could fit here.

[Blue_Tires]

9. kick for visibility...

[snot]

11. We're experiencing a coup d'etats right and . . . right.

Here's another post about the events in Mich.: http://www.boingboing.net/2011/03/11/michigan-republicans.html

[Sheepshank]

15. ultimate privitization

..privitize the government. Skip the middle guy and avoid elections. Sounds like a plan?